Darkest Night
by Amonraphoenix
Summary: Halloween challenge between me and DarkUnderworld. We wanted to do a Halloween fic and agreed on the idea but not the execution, so we wrote both. Same idea different stories... Raphael is in for one hell of a night that he is not soon to forget. (Twin piece to Longest Night by DarkUnderworld)


Darkest Night

Chapter 1

Raphael sat upon the roof of a four story building and stared off into the night. He could hear the excited whoops, and hollers of the humans down below him, many of whom had consumed way too much alcohol and were now having what was considered a 'good time'.

It was the night before Halloween and some of the city's inhabitants had decided to begin the festivities a night early, which made sense; it was a Friday night. Raphael himself had mixed feelings about Halloween. On the one hand he enjoyed being able to walk around pretending to be a human in a rubber costume; on the other hand it was also Michelangelo's favourite holiday. It was actually a toss-up between which holiday Michelangelo enjoyed more, Christmas or Halloween, but Raphael was pretty sure it was a close tie. Of course Halloween meant that Michelangelo spent the better part of the week leading up to Halloween trying to prank and scare the crap out of every one of his brothers. Raphael was especially targeted because his dislike of anything creepy crawly, especially bugs.

Of course Raphael had been on guard this week, and so far Michelangelo had yet to succeed in scaring any of them. Raphael was actually sitting on the roof of this building trying to devise a prank of his own to scare his baby brother -hopefully enough- that he would stop with his lame ass Halloween pranks for good.

Unfortunately he hadn't really managed to come up with anything yet. He knew Michelangelo didn't like the dark because of what ghost, ghouls or monsters could lurk within it, or being left alone for long periods of time. The problem was actually pulling off a ghost or monster prank that wasn't a lame sheet over the head, or rubber mask kind of scare. He needed something really good, the problem was... he had no idea what.

A commotion sounded from over his shoulder that sounded slightly different than what he had been hearing. Instead of revelry it sounded like the beginnings of a mugging, that may develop into something more. Glad to take his mind off of trying to prank his prankster brother, he stood up and stretched, a smile ghosting over his face. Beating the crap out of scum, now that was something he was good at.

He silently ran across the rooftop of the building, hopped down to a lower building pressed up against the one he had been sitting on, and ran to the far edge; the sound of an ensuing struggle becoming more distinct the closer he got.

Raphael peeked over the edge and smiled darkly to himself. There were three thugs who had managed to trap a woman in a dead-end alley. She was slowly backing up towards the brick wall at her back.

"Com'on sweetheart, just a little kiss, that's all I'm askin' for." One of the men below coaxed, the metallic glint of a knife catching the light of the full moon that hung heavily in the sky.

"Please don't hurt me." The woman pleaded backing up slowly towards the wall. The woman was shrouded deep within the shadows of the alley, but Raphael was just able to make out a cloak and a hood pulled up over her head. For all Raphael knew she could be one of the many unfortunate street people that wandered the dark alleys of the city; or she could be a Halloween reveller that had been separated from her friends. Regardless of which, she needed his help.

Raphael slid down a convenient drain spout and landed silently on the damp pavement below. He stood from his crouch and pulled his sais from his belt. He was wearing a light colored hoodie and jeans, so hopefully the woman wouldn't freak out when she saw him, or she could believe he was just a Good Samaritan dressed up for Halloween party; he really didn't care what she thought.

The thugs were still backing her up against the wall; their language had gotten coarse and more offensive.

"Hey douche bags, why don't you leave the lady alone," Raphael growled from the darkness.

The thugs turned and looked at him in surprise. "Piss off and mind your own business." One of the thugs -a man with dyed white-blonde hair streaked with blue and brushed down to cover one eye- snarled in irritation.

"This is the part where I tell you to leave the lady alone, before I beat the crap outta ya." Raphael countered.

"Hey look, this guy thinks he's some kinda hero." A dark haired man dressed in a pathetic attempt at a zombie costume observed with a dry chuckle.

"Let's teach this guy a lesson, and then we can play with the chick." A heavy set, sandy haired man smiled snidely pulling up a heavy metal pipe that had been lying against his leg.

Raphael smirked excitedly. He loved it when they resisted. He lifted up a hand and made a 'bring it' motion with one of his sais.

"Don't worry sweetheart, we're just gonna take care of a little... pest problem, then you will have our full attention again." The blonde haired man said pleasantly, with lustful hunger in his cold blue eyes. "And if you try to run or scream, I will kill you," he threatened, his knife again glinting as the woman stumbled back slightly until her back was pressed up against the rough brick wall.

The thug with the pipe attacked first. He was slow and clumsy, most likely used to using his weight to steam roll over his opponents. Raphael on the other hand was quick and precise. He deftly avoided the sledgehammer blow from the pipe and performed a roundhouse kick to the back of the thug's head as he stumbled forward his pipe connecting with nothing but thin air. The thug fell forward, landing hard and skinning his palms.

Zombie guy decided to try his luck after protesting what Raphael had done to his 'buddy'. Zombie guy had a set of brass knuckles that did nothing as Raphael quickly turned so that the blow bounced harmlessly off his carapace. Zombie guy howled in pain and clutched at his injured hand.

Raphael chuckled darkly and turned quickly punching the guy in the face. He spun 180 in the air before hitting the ground with a thud.

Raphael turned and grinned at Blondie. "Have I left the best for last, or are you as pathetic as your friends?" Raphael asked mockingly.

Blondie switched his grip on his knife. "Body armour, cute. Some lame wanna-be kung-fu punk ass martial artist wants to have a piece of me?" Blondie threw his knife. The move slightly surprised Raphael, mostly because the guy's aim was exceptional. Raphael deflected the throw but the blade spun and hit a glancing blow across his cheek.

Pain streaked across his face. He could feel the blood trickle down his cheek, but he knew the cut was shallow, barely a scratch really.

Blondie pulled another knife from within his jacket. Raphael turned serious, knowing that he could not underestimate the man in front of him.

Blondie attacked first, knife pulled back, ready to strike when he got in close enough. Raphael didn't wait for that moment; he ducked down sweeping his foot beneath the feet of his charging attacker who tripped, falling forward and landing in an ungainly pile.

"Not just some lame wanna-be kung-fu punk; I'm a genuine full-fledged ninja, asshole. Now you better run, before I change my mind and decide to do so much worse than just makin a fool outta ya." Raphael growled fiercely.

Blondie rolled to his feet, looking like he was going to begin round two, but his two companions seemed to think this was a bad idea and pulled him away. Blondie threatened retribution, the usual drivel, promises and threats, but Raphael had heard it all before; usually much better delivered and more elegantly spoken than what Blondie managed to come up with. So he turned his attention back to the terrified woman who had not moved from her position against the wall.

"You're gonna be okay, Lady," Raphael told the woman who was still cloaked within the pitch-black shadows of the alley. Raphael placed his sais back through his belt and held out a calming hand towards her.

"Do you know how long I had to work to get those three idiots into this alley?" The woman's voice asked. Even angry her voice was as smooth as satin, and contained a timber that was rich, throaty, seductive and with the hint of a musical lilt. _Scottish_... _Irish?_ He wondered to himself.

"Hey, Lady, I don't know what your deal is, but if you didn't notice, I just saved your ass," Raphael growled in irritation, his hand dropping. He was used to not receiving any thanks for the many, many good deeds and rescues he performed, but for some reason this woman's reaction got under his skin.

"I am so hungry." The woman complained bitterly.

"I don't think they were gonna buy you dinner afterwards," Raphael grumbled under his breath. "Whatever." He turned to leave.

"You cost me my dinner, and even though I believe that you owe me for this particular slight, I find myself curious." Her voice had become deeper, her words sounding like rich, dark, chocolate.

Raphael stopped and looked over his shoulder at the woman still standing by the wall several feet away from him. "I don't owe you nothin'," he snarled. He was tired of listening to the crazy lady in the cape and hood. He turned his head and had to pull himself up short, taking a step back because the woman now stood right in front of him.

"What are you?" She questioned reaching up and pulling back her hood revealing long coppery-red tresses that cascaded over her shoulders. Her skin was alabaster pale, perfect and held an almost luminous quality. Her hair was pulled back slightly exposing slightly pointed ears. Her bright green eyes studied him, and Raphael had to take a step back from her intense and curious gaze.

"Just a guy in a turtle costume." He said evenly as he took another step back. Warning bells were going off in his head. Every instinct he had was screaming at him to run, and yet he just stood there, staring into her beautiful emerald green eyes.

"Your blood smells inhuman," she purred reaching out a hand and dragging a finger across the front of his light grey hoodie as she began to circle around him. Raphael turned trying to keep her in his sights. "And I enjoyed how you were so easily able to defeat those stupid human beasts."

"Uh... Kay, I uh... gotta go," Raphael stammered taking another step back.

Raphael felt his hood being pulled back from where it had covered his head. "I could use a strong, quick, delicious looking creature like you," she purred as she studied him; a hungry smile on her face. Raphael stumbled backwards a few paces, not even knowing how his hood had fallen back, because he swore the woman never even moved.

The cloak the woman had been wearing began to move, and large, dark, membranous wings rose up into the night revealing her lithe, trim, curvaceous body. Her clothing was minimal, the white and green stomach barring top she wore looked to be made of wisps of smoke rather than material. She wore a white knee length skirt, slit at the sides; a golden chain belt was clasped around her thin waist to trail elegantly down her side. The skirt revealed her legs which were decidedly non-human looking more like reptilian legs, though the not scaled.

Suddenly her arm shot out; as hard and unyielding as steel bands wrapped it around him, trapping his arms against his body. "What the-?" Raphael started in surprise, and then felt a rush of fear as adrenalin surged through him.

He knew he was in trouble and needed help. He reached into his pocket, barely able to do this action he pulled his cell from his pocket and hit the emergency button.

"I think you will make a wonderful guard and pet," she purred seductively next to his ear before pulling back slightly. Her once vibrant green eyes turning a deep tawny-yellow; her pupil elongating and thinning until it was nothing more than a sliver of black within the golden depths. "And I can smell others of your kind upon you, blood kin; perfect." She whispered alluringly in an excited voice.

Raphael didn't even think to struggle -he couldn't have even if he had wanted to- mesmerized as he was by her wide luminous gaze. He didn't even flinch as she bared her teeth revealing sharp lateral incisors and elongated canines.

Her cold, membranous wings enfolded him within a cocoon of darkness, her fangs piercing his throat, in a quick viper like strike that made his back arch and caused him to gasp in pain.

He cried out in agony as he felt his life blood being forcefully pulled from his body. He tried to struggle, tried to get away from the creature that was slowly killing him. Something wet was brushed across his beak. He felt his jaw being pried open and part of her arm was suddenly shoved into his mouth. Cold, tangy copper filled his mouth and he struggled against swallowing, but he couldn't breathe, and finally gulped down the vile liquid.

Her arm was suddenly removed as her teeth bit more savagely into his neck. There was a crunch and he knew that she had savagely slashed through his arteries and windpipe. He cried out in shock and agony. Brutal, searing pain shot through him as he felt her rip out his throat. Scarlet blood splattered the garbage littered ground, the wall and the creature in front of him in grisly gore.

Blood poured forth from his severed throat as his throat was suddenly released. The arms that were like corded steel, and the cool, leathery wings that had surrounded him loosened and he pulled himself roughly away; the sound of his hoodie tearing as she tried to clutch at him again sounded throughout the night. He fell to the ground in a boneless heap. A faint gurgling noise emanated from his lips as blood ran from his mouth and down his chin. He could taste the hot, sticky-sweet copper of his own blood as it gushed between his closed jaws. The sharp smell of iron filled the night-time air. He tried to take a breath but was unable to as the hot, metallic liquid ran down his throat making him gag.

He desperately clutched at his throat knowing that he was going to die. He couldn't even scream as he watched his own, dark crimson blood pool beneath him forming an ever growing puddle that spread outwards from his torn throat. He could feel the beat of his heart as it slowed.

_Thud...thud...thud...thud...thud...thud..._

Each beat of his desperate heart only served to pump more of his precious lifeblood from his body and onto the grimy pavement.

His body was growing cold and numb, his heart slowing; his breathing becoming strained and laboured.

_Thud...thud..._

"Good-night sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." The woman whispered seductively in his ear.

_Thud...th-..._

His vision went dark, his lungs stopped working and his heart ceased to beat. His eyes frozen open, now fixed and glazed over, faintly reflecting the light from the end of the alley and the creature that had stolen his life.


End file.
